PhD Studentship: Mapping Plant Chemical Defence at Single-Cell Resolution
Investigate cellular division of labour in plant chemical defence against pathogens using single-cell genomics and advanced imaging.
Best for:Best for biology graduates with a strong interest in plant pathology, single-cell analysis, and experimental molecular biology.
Overview
This fully funded four-year PhD studentship is offered through the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme at the University of East Anglia, based at The Sainsbury Laboratory. The research focuses on mapping the hidden cellular geography of plant chemical defence in Arabidopsis thaliana during pathogen infection. The successful candidate will combine advanced microscopy, single-cell transcriptomics, metabolomics, and functional genomics to identify and test new biosynthetic pathways. The project provides comprehensive training in molecular plant biology, imaging, and data analysis while offering intellectual ownership over candidate gene discovery.
What you'll do
- Create fluorescent reporter lines in Arabidopsis thaliana to track defence-pathway activation during pathogen invasion.
- Perform advanced microscopy and imaging to monitor cellular responses to bacterial and fungal pathogens.
- Isolate and analyse gene-activity and chromatin profiles from approximately 100,000 infected leaf nuclei.
- Integrate single-cell datasets with curated catalogues of biosynthetic enzymes to identify co-activated gene modules.
- Execute multiplex genome editing, pathogen assays, and metabolomics to characterise candidate genes and test their role in infection resistance.
Requirements
Degree required: Bachelors (Honours) degree at UK 2:1 equivalence or higher in a relevant discipline
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6 in each category
Instruction: English
- Foundational knowledge in molecular biology, biochemistry, or plant sciences
- Willingness to learn advanced microscopy and imaging techniques
- Interest in integrating wet-lab experimental biology with computational data analysis
- Capacity to conduct independent research and collaborate across institutes
- Open to applicants meeting academic entry requirements for the NRPDTP
- Must undertake a mandatory three-month professional internship placement during the studies
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-11-30
Applicants must submit their application through the university's online postgraduate research application portal. Specific bespoke templates provided on the NRPDTP website must be used for the Personal and Research statements.
- CV
- Personal statement
- Research statement
- Transcripts
- Reference letters
Contact
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